The United Football League (UFL) is instituting a handful of bold rule changes ahead of its 2026 season.

Notably, the spring football league – now in its third season as a unified front since the USFL-XFL merger – is introducing a four-point field goal for its teams and will also ban punts from inside the opponents’ 50-yard line.

The rule changes come as the league continues to evaluate ways to make its on-field product exciting without straying too far from the basic rules of football, as UFL head of officiating Dean Blandino told USA TODAY Sports in a recent phone interview.

‘We want to create an exciting game. We want good flow. We want big plays. We want to promote scoring,’ Blandino said.

The UFL believes the four-point field goal attempt, and its other rule changes, fit perfectly into that mission.

UFL introduces four-point field goal

The genesis of the UFL’s four-point field goal rule was relatively simple. The league sought to provide a larger reward for kickers attempting riskier, longer-distance field goals.

‘A 65-yard field goal is a lot harder than a 35-yard field goal,’ Blandino explained. ‘So, why should they be the same amount of points?’

The UFL set the line of demarcation at the 60-yard line. Anything from that distance or beyond will be worth four points; anything inside of it will be worth the traditional three.

Blandino believes the 60-yard range will be a realistic target for UFL kickers. He noted kickers have improved considerably from long distance in recent seasons, referencing that NFL kickers made 12 of their 22 attempts from 60-plus yards during the 2025 NFL campaign.

Blandino also brought up Cam Little’s record-breaking 68-yard field goal in 2025 and the success of spring-league alums Brandon Aubrey and Jake Bates as reasons to be bullish about the prospect of the four-point field goal.

‘These guys have become incredible players in the NFL,’ Blandino said. ‘So, how can we highlight what they’ve accomplished and promote scoring?’

Blandino also expressed excitement about seeing the strategy coaches employ while considering the four-point field goal throughout the 2026 UFL season.

‘We think this is going to create some interesting strategy decisions for coaches,’ Blandino said. ‘Late in the game, you’re down three, you’ve got 30 seconds and one timeout. Do you play to tie the game, or do you play to win the game with a four-point field goal? It’s going to be really, really exciting.’

‘It’s going to be really interesting the first time you have a third-and-long in 58-yard field goal range,’ he later added. ‘Do I take a knee and lose two yards to get to 60? There’s going to be some fascinating strategic decisions and some things done that I think fans are going to go, ‘Wow, that’s different. That’s kind of cool.’ And I think that’s going to keep people engaged.’

That’s why Blandino believes the four-point field goal is ‘going to really be a great part’ of the UFL moving forward. It fits the league’s vision of finding innovative rule changes that aren’t simply gimmicks.

‘We just want to continue to innovate but also maintain that foundation and the integrity of the game of football,’ Blandino said. ‘These rules are not about, oh, what can we do that’s going to get a pop or it’s going to be gimmicky, right? It’s football. It’s the game we all love, and we don’t want to stray too far away from that.’

UFL bans punting inside opponents’ 50-yard line

Blandino’s excitement about the four-point field goal was bolstered by another new UFL rule. The league will no longer allow teams to punt once they cross the opponents’ 50-yard line – unless it’s after the two-minute warning in either half.

Blandino explained the rule was instituted to generate more excitement and potential scoring opportunities. He also pointed out its mission aligned with the NFL’s general trend of decreased punting and increasing fourth-down conversion attempts.

‘The number of punts inside the 50 are down significantly anyway,’ Blandino said. ‘Most teams are going for it.’

The key point in the UFL’s punting rule is that once the ball crosses the midfield stripe, it cannot be punted, regardless of whether the team on offense loses yards. This prevents teams from taking intentional penalties to manipulate the field on fourth down to get into position to punt.

Blandino and the UFL understand that could create some difficult fourth-and-long situations for teams where punting isn’t an option. That’s why the league didn’t want the rule to apply after the two-minute warning.

That said, Blandino acknowledged the UFL could adjust the rule midseason if any issues arise relating to it.

‘We want to see how it goes, and that’s what’s great about the UFL and our process,’ Blandino said of the rule. ‘There’s a lot of thought [and] effort that goes into it, but if we get to Week 5 and say, OK, this is an issue, we can adjust.’

But as currently constructed, Blandino believes the UFL’s ban of punts from inside opponent territory will result in more opportunities for long field-goal attempts.

‘We’re going to see more 60-yard field goal attempts because you add the extra point, you add the no punts,’ Blandino said.

Those opportunities are why Blandino believes there’s ‘no question’ the league will be able to continue attracting high-end kicker talent – an area in which it has enjoyed great success throughout its existence.

UFL adopts NCAA catch rule

The UFL is also going to use the college catch rule for its 2026 season. That means pass-catchers will only need to get one foot in bounds to complete a catch.

What went into the decision to roll with that catch rule? It’s all about the UFL’s quest to ‘promote exciting plays,’ as Blandino detailed.

‘There are so many plays that you watch in the college game or in the UFL that if the receiver had to get both feet in, it’s an incomplete pass,’ Blandino said.

Blandino went on to specifically reference Fernando Mendoza’s 7-yard game-winning pass to Omar Cooper Jr. in Indiana’s 27-24 win over Penn State as a play that wouldn’t have counted under the NFL’s version of the catch rule.

‘That’s an incomplete pass if you have to get both feet down,’ Blandino said, ‘and it’s one of the iconic plays from the college football season.’

By keeping the one-foot rule, the UFL will leave the door ajar for more big-time plays. Blandino also opined the college version of the rule is both safer and easier to officiate for all involved.

‘From a safety perspective, it is a safer play in terms of the receiver just having to get one foot down,’ Blandino said. ‘Now, they can start to protect themselves earlier in that process. And it’s an easier play to officiate. So, all those factors considered, that’s why we went in that direction.’

UFL to continue showing inside look at officiating

The UFL has been among the pioneers in officiating transparency, as the league has offered a glimpse into the replay room throughout its existence. Blandino confirmed the UFL would continue to offer such coverage to enhance its broadcasts.

‘We really love what we’ve done with the transparency. We want to continue to highlight that on our broadcast,’ Blandino said. ‘And we do feel like the other leagues and conferences have taken notice.’

Notably, the ACC offered a glimpse into its replay room during some of their college football broadcasts during the 2025 season. Blandino noted the ACC is planning to ‘expand that’ and that the Big 12 ‘is talking about’ implementing a similar system.

Blandino believes such transparency is a great way to engage with fans and remove any potential consternation about controversial calls by at least shedding a light on the process.

‘The frustrating thing for fans, and this is the feedback we’ve always received, is [that] a call is made, and they don’t get the why,’ Blandino explained. ‘Sometimes, if it is something they don’t agree with, then you start to go down a path of conspiracy theories and all these other things.’

‘If you just get a chance to watch and listen, the conspiracy stuff goes away,’ he added. ‘You might not always agree at the end of the day, but at least you understand, OK, this is why they made the decision. These are the steps, this was the conversation.’

Blandino – who serves as a rules analyst during Fox’s NFL broadcasts in addition to his role with the UFL – is hopeful the NFL will eventually consider adopting a similar look under the hood during its broadcasts.

‘I think it’s something the NFL has to continue to look at,’ Blandino said.

GREENVILLE, NC — Winning streaks can be a fickle thing in sports. Be a little slow or a little late just once and that’s it.

A few teams have managed to avoid such pitfalls this season and have strung together consecutive victories. Of course, there’s UConn with a perfect 29-0 record. North Dakota State has 23 wins in a row, UCLA has 21, and the Rice Owls have 19 after a gritty 60-58 victory on Saturday on the road over the East Carolina Pirates.

Sitting in first place in the American Conference, Rice looks like a team no Power 4 squad will want to face in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That’s largely because the Owls are elite defensively.

No team stifles opponents at the perimeter like Rice, which ranks first nationally in opponent 3-point rate (18.3%) and percentage of points allowed from behind the arc (16.6%). Rice’s opponents have made a total of 88 3-pointers this season on 330 attempts — both of which are the lowest in the nation.

The Owls also rank in the top 20 in the country in opponent 3-point shooting percentage (26.7%), opponent effective field goal percentage (40.4%) and points allowed per scoring attempt (0.88).

“I feel like we made a huge jump in (defense) from last year to this year. We focused a lot on it,” Rice head coach Lindsay Edmonds told USA Today Sports. “I don’t think we think about like, we’re trying to take 3s away — we’re just trying to take away option A.

‘Whatever it takes to win, they’re going to do it.”

Edmonds and her staff are responsible for fostering the defensive intensity. She’s in her fifth season with the Owls and has them eyeing their second March Madness appearance during her tenure. Before landing her first gig as a head coach, the North Carolina native and Appalachian State graduate worked under Wes Moore at NC State and played a big role in assembling and coaching the core of players that won three consecutive ACC Tournament titles between 2020 and 2022. Edmonds also previously coached on Kenny Brooks’ staff at James Madison.

The anchor of Edmonds’ defense is junior forward Hailey Adams, who’s an exceptional rebounder, but does a little bit of everything for the Owls. Adams is the only player in the country this season who averages at least eight points, 11 rebounds and three assists per game. Her speed makes her a versatile defender, too.

“I used to be a soccer player, so I used to run a lot,” Adams said. “So when I came in, that was kind of my bread and butter — just running around. And the best function of me running around is rebounding. I kind of just end up in the right place at the right time. My team trusts me to get the rebounds so they can get out and go score.”

Adams grabbed a career-best 19 rebounds against the Pirates. She’s so important to Rice’s success that she played all but 62 seconds on Saturday.

“She’s our Swiss Army knife,” Edmonds said. “You feel so much security when she’s on the floor, because you know she can get stops, you know she can get blocks, you know she can get rebounds. She’s an intricate part to what we do offensively and defensively.”

Edmonds says the constant through this streak has been the team leaning on its motto, TNT, which is an acronym for “today, not tomorrow.”

“What team is going to show up today, whether that’s in the weight room, on the court, at home, or on the road? And they really bought into that,” Edmonds said. “This team also has a ton of mental toughness and a ton of just togetherness and not afraid of those adversity moments. We don’t back down from those challenges. We step up.”

Duke’s Toby Fournier’s case for ACC player of the year

Before losing at Clemson on Sunday thanks to Hannah Kohn’s 3-pointer with three seconds left, Duke had one of the nation’s longest winning streaks at 17 games. The Blue Devils are still in first place in the ACC and will clinch at least a share of the conference’s regular season title on Thursday if they beat Florida State at home.

A good portion of the credit for Duke’s success this season should go to Toby Fournier, a sophomore forward who leads the Blue Devils in scoring and rebounding with 17.8 points and 8.1 rebounds a game.

The 6-foot-2 Canadian had one of her best games last Thursday with 26 points and 12 rebounds — and shot an impressive 9-of-10 from the free throw line — in Duke’s home victory over rival NC State. Afterwards, Blue Devils coach Kara Lawson campaigned for Fournier to win ACC Player of the Year in a not-so-subtle way.

“She’s one of the best players in the country. And, you know, listen, everybody likes their player. I get it. I think winning matters. I think it does for awards. It matters that you impact winning,” Lawson said. “She’s doing that. … She’s doing a lot at a high level right now. She impacts the game even if she doesn’t play great offensively.”

In contention with Fournier for conference award is Notre Dame junior guard Hannah Hidalgo, who is third in the nation in scoring (24.9 points a game) and first in steals (5.6).

While Hidalgo’s statistics are impressive, it’s worth pointing out that the ACC Player of the Year award has been given to a player whose team didn’t finish in the top four of the league standings just twice: fifth-place NC State’s Summer Erb in 1999 and sixth-place Syracuse’s Alexis Peterson in 2017.

Heading into the final games of the regular season, Duke is in first place in the ACC and Notre Dame is ninth.

Fournier is the only player in the country this season averaging at least 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks per game.

“For me, I’m willing to do whatever the team needs, whether that’s scoring, whether that’s rebounding, whether that’s passing,” Fournier said. “I think that’s just how we play. Nobody’s going to win the whole game by themselves.’

Joni Taylor’s job likely safe at Texas A&M

Things haven’t gone all that well for Texas A&M in Joni Taylor’s four years at the helm. The Aggies are 50-63 overall with one NCAA Tournament appearance.

USA Today Sports reported last month that Texas A&M was putting out feelers out for interest in the job if the Aggies were to move on from Taylor after what was initially shaping up to be another disappointing season.

But multiple sources familiar with the situation now tell USA Today Sports athletic director Trev Alberts met with Taylor recently to discuss upgrading her budget and NIL resources, better equipping her to recruit and retain talented players. In the past month, Taylor’s seat has cooled and sources say she’ll likely get at least another season at Texas A&M.

The Aggies have won four of their last five games, which includes a pair of wins over nationally ranked Alabama and Tennessee. With two games left in the regular season, Texas A&M is 12-11, surpassing last year’s win total and pulling above .500 on Sunday after defeating Arkansas.

On the roster, a bright spot has been the play of Sacred Heart transfer Ny’Ceara Pryor, who ranks fifth nationally in assists (7.1) and sixth in steals (3.6) per game. Additionally, Saint Peter’s transfer Fatmata Janneh is one of two players in the nation who averages a double-double while also shooting north of 80% from the free throw line.

“We have clear and direct communication, that’s honest and laced with grace,” Taylor said Sunday after the Aggies’ win over Arkansas. “We knew what we were up against. … They are unwavering and didn’t flinch. They were bought in because they knew what it could possibly look like.”

Taylor has two years remaining on the contract she signed in 2022 when she was poached from Georgia to succeed Gary Blair in College Station. At the time, Taylor seemed like the right person to continue what Blair built at Texas A&M — a program that won the national championship in 2011. Taylor went to four NCAA Tournaments in seven seasons at Georgia, ranked as high as 10th in national polls and was SEC Coach of the Year in 2021.

According to data collected by USA Today Sports, her buyout in 2024 was listed at just above $6.1 million.

Tip-ins

• Clemson’s win over Duke gave it 10 wins in the ACC this year, marking the first time since the 2000-2001 season that the Tigers have captured double-digit victories in conference play.
• Madina Okot went a remarkable 3-of-3 from the 3-point line in South Carolina’s win over Ole Miss on Sunday. According to ESPN, that’s the most 3-pointers made in an SEC game this century by a player 6-foot-6 or taller.
• Going head-to-head with the Daytona 500 last Sunday, Duke’s win over North Carolina on ABC drew 682,000 viewers, making it the eighth most-watched women’s basketball game on ESPN platforms this season.
• Central Michigan announced a contract extension for head coach Kristin Haynie last week that goes through the 2028-29 season. The Chippewas are 10-5 in the MAC this season, the first time in five years they’ve had double-digit wins in conference play. This is the third year on the job for Haynie, who was previously an assistant at her alma mater Michigan State where she was an All-Big Ten selection.

Hallo, Deutschland. Willkommen, Detroit Lions.

The NFL announced on Feb. 24 that the Lions will be one of the teams playing in the 2026 International Series game in Munich. According to a Lions press release, ‘the game date, kickoff time and opponent (are) to be announced during the NFL’s greater schedule release,’ which usually takes place in May.

Detroit’s foray into Germany will be the team’s third international trip ever and first since 2015. The Lions’ last two international games were at Wembley Stadium in London, once as the victorious designated home team and once in a loss as the designated road team.

‘We are thrilled to be playing internationally and specifically in Munich for the 2026 season,’ Detroit Lions President & CEO Rod Wood said in a statement. ‘As an organization, we have invested greatly in the German market and are excited to play in front of our passionate German fans.’

Since March 2024, the Lions have had international marketing rights in Germany – as well as Austria, Canada and Switzerland – as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program. Their marketing efforts included introducing Leo Löwe, an official mascot in Germany, hosting watch parties in Cologne for Detroit’s annual Thanksgiving games and putting on several youth football camps.

Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is a dual American and German citizen and speaks fluent German, has also been something of an NFL ambassador to Germany. Part of St. Brown’s work representing the NFL in Germany has been his involvement with the Lions’ youth football camps abroad.

‘It has been a dream of mine to play a game in my mother’s home country of Germany since coming to the league,’ St. Brown said in a statement. ‘I cannot wait to play in front of the incredible fans that I’ve gotten to know through my visits and football camps in the country. Their support for me and the country’s instant connection to the Lions brand is inspiring, and I’m looking forward to our team getting to showcase Detroit football on an international scale.’

In addition to being the sixth NFL regular season game in Germany, the Lions’ international game will be the third to take place in Allianz Arena in Munich. Previous NFL venues in Germany include Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt and Olympiastadion in Berlin.

U.S. men’s national team legend Tim Howard was not about to take being called a ‘weirdo’ on ‘Love is Blind’ sitting down.

Season 10 of the popular Netflix reality dating show features contestants from Ohio, including former MLS draft pick Alex Henderson.

Henderson, who was previously known as Alec Ferrell, was a standout college goalkeeper at Wake Forest. Minnesota United selected him in the second round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, but he never played in MLS.

After his soccer career ended, Henderson went into financial sales and eventually found his way into the ‘Love is Blind’ cast.

Warning: spoilers for ‘Love Is Blind’ episodes 1-6 ahead

In the show, Henderson proposes to fellow contestant Ashley Carpenter. In one scene, the pair discusses Henderson’s soccer career while on a beach in Mexico. Henderson is unsparing of his fellow goalkeeper Howard, as well as former England star David Beckham.

Carpenter asks Henderson about Howard, to which he replies: “He’s American. I met him already. He’s a weirdo.’

Next, the conversation shifts to Beckham.

“Get out of here. He’s not even good!” Henderson says.

In a separate conversation, Henderson discusses how his career was cut short by knee injuries. He described the 2017 MLS SuperDraft as ‘the worst day of my life’ due to falling to the second round.

‘I was supposed to be a top-five pick, most likely a top-10, realistically,’ Henderson said.

‘It was not exactly how I dreamt it up,’ Henderson said. ‘The fourth knee surgery came through after the team that drafted me said, ‘Hey, you’re not going to play again.”

Tim Howard responds to Alex Henderson dig

On the most recent episode of his ‘Unfiltered Soccer’ show, Howard — a self-professed fan of ‘Love is Blind’ — said he’d been alerted to Henderson’s comments by a friend as well as his daughter.

Howard, who amassed 121 USMNT caps and is considered one of the best goalkeepers in American history, addresses Henderson directly.

‘Here’s what I would say: I know you’re a fan, and I have this on good authority,’ he said. ‘So all I’ll say is, we can make everything right with the world, and you just issue a public apology on whatever platform you’re on.

‘You can issue a public apology and I’ll accept it in advance. If not, then I’ll have more things to say about you. So we’ll leave it there.’

He added: ‘I love ‘Love is Blind,’ by the way. I’ve seen almost every season.’

Howard’s co-host, fellow USMNT legend Landon Donovan, had more to say about Henderson’s dig, also taking umbrage with his words on his longtime LA Galaxy teammate Beckham.

‘He’s trying to hit on this girl and pick up this girl by saying Tim Howard’s a weirdo — what an idiot!’ Donovan said.

‘First of all, figure out a way to get some game. Second of all, saying Sir David Beckham is not even good to try to impress some girl that you like? What an absolute tool.

‘So let’s just put it very clearly Alex: Keep Tim Howard and Sir David Beckham’s names out of your mouth.’

• The NCAA men’s basketball committee’s initial top 16 ranking was quickly disrupted after half of the top 10 teams lost.
• Duke and Arizona are now strong contenders for the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming tournament.
• UCLA has entered the projected tournament field, replacing rival Southern California after a key victory.

This past Saturday, the NCAA men’s basketball committee released its ranking of the top 16 teams, ostensibly providing a template to help professional and amateur observers visualize what the final bracket might look like in a few weeks. Within mere hours of that reveal, the template was effectively broken as half of the committee’s top 10 teams lost. As if we needed a reminder, this is why the term March Madness is so engrained in the sport’s vocabulary.

In any event, we’ve had to reexamine the committee’s order and come up with a new template for our latest bracket projection. Duke, now topping the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll, strengthened its case for the No. 1 overall seed with its neutral-site victory against Michigan. Arizona also has an argument, with its win at Houston adding to an impressive list of high-end triumphs away from home. Michigan remains well-positioned as a top regional seed. Iowa State holds down the fourth No. 1, as its recent decision against Houston helps offset Saturday night’s loss at Brigham Young.

Houston is still very much in the No. 1 conversation but remains a 2 for now after a loss to Kansas on Monday. We also differ with the committee on Florida, which was outside the top 10 but projects as a No. 2 seed in our bracket. Purdue and Connecticut round out the second line.

Illinois, which lost a third consecutive overtime contest, might have missed out on its shot at heading a regional and slips to the third line along with Nebraska, Texas Tech and Gonzaga. The middle portion of the bracket wasn’t drastically altered by the weekend’s results, but there was a change on the fringe of the at-large pool as UCLA, thanks to its buzzer-beater against Illinois, replaces rival Southern California in the field.

March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection

March Madness last four in

TCU, New Mexico, UCLA, Santa Clara.

March Madness first four out

Southern California, California, Virginia Commonwealth, San Diego State.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (10), SEC (10), ACC (8) Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).

• Several NFL draft prospects, including quarterbacks Ty Simpson and Diego Pavia, face significant questions at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
• Players with limited college experience or injury histories have a critical opportunity to address concerns in Indianapolis.

The NFL scouting combine lends itself more to confirmation than revelation.

For fans, the annual event in Indianapolis provides some fun fodder for the pre-draft process, particularly with such a heavy focus being granted to testing and on-field drills. Teams, however, are not radically rethinking their evaluations based on these performances. Interviews and medical insights typically hold higher meaning for front offices.

But the stakes for this year’s 319 invitees are far from nonexistent, with more than a handful of figures having some notable concerns to address in one form or another.

Here are seven NFL draft prospects with something to prove at the combine:

QB Ty Simpson, Alabama

Most draft prospects have an extensive body of collegiate work that can combat any questions that arise at the combine. Simpson does not. Not only did the 6-foot-2, 208-pound passer start just 15 games for the Crimson Tide, his play took a sharp downturn over the course of his lone year at the helm. But with expected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza abstaining from working out, Simpson is sure to be the most closely monitored of any the signal-callers who take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 28.

Ultimately, there’s a limited amount of intel that can be reasonably gleaned from this setting on whether a player with Simpson’s limited experience and persistent problems responding to pressure is a trustworthy investment with a first-round pick. As the son of a longtime college football coach in Tennessee-Martin’s Jason Simpson, he should make a compelling case for himself in team meetings, which could prove crucial to convincing a franchise to pull the trigger on a surprisingly erratic distributor.

QB Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

The Heisman Trophy runner-up’s pre-draft process is already in a precarious position. Pavia measured at 5-9 and 7/8 at the Senior Bowl, failing to clear the 5-10 bar that Bryce Young and Kyler Murray managed to clear. Yet the dynamic dual-threat weapon is more than just a half-inch in height from mirroring the trajectory of either No. 1 pick.

Clawing into the back part of Day 3 might be the goal for him at this point, and potentially a lofty one at that. Pavia’s fluttering deep passes and impatience in the pocket leave him ill-equipped to handle even backup duties in the NFL. And while the former junior college transfer’s grit might play well with some evaluators, he also has to answer for a series of indiscretions, including an explicit Instagram post in the aftermath of his second-place finish to Mendoza for college football’s top honor. Pavia’s atypical play style and limited physical tools might prove too much for him to overcome, but he has to demonstrate some kind of upside to hook a team into giving him a shot as a developmental option, either in a traditional role or as a gadget weapon.

QB Carson Beck, Miami (Fla.)

It might seem odd to demand to see more of a three-year starter who has endured a rare level of scrutiny throughout his career. But for all the good Beck’s resurgence in Miami did for his draft stock, it also highlighted some serious concerns about his recovery from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in the 2024 Southeastern Conference Championship Game. That injury seemingly sapped the 6-4, 225-pound passer of a good bit of his arm strength, with deep heaves becoming a struggle. If teams have any reason for pause on his prognosis, it could damage his case to be one of the more highly selected signal-callers from the second tier at the position. But a solid medical outlook might help him continue his rise.

OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Ever since stepping his arrival, the former five-star recruit has been an outlier. When locked in, the 6-7, 366-pound left tackle erases defenders like few others can, either by negating pass rushers or punishing his targets in the run game. His junior season, however, underscored the volatility in his game, as he on several occasions struggled to stay in front of quick-moving edge threats. The combine could allow him to showcase his singular athleticism as a supersized blocker. But teams also will want to see more control and composure in all phases from a player who acknowledged he once eclipsed 400 pounds at Alabama.

OLB Romello Height, Texas Tech

His fourth stop in college finally gave rise to a breakout season. Height tallied 10 sacks and 62 tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, as he blossomed while working opposite likely top-10 pick David Bailey. But his Senior Bowl measurements of 6-2 and 234 pounds put him on a path to becoming a designated pass rusher rather than a full-time edge threat. Testing well is paramount for Height, whose athleticism will be integral to winning over front offices willing to take a gamble on an undersized disruptor who will be 25 on draft day.

LB Aiden Fisher, Indiana

As the heartbeat of the Hoosiers’ defense, Fisher helped key Indiana’s national title run by putting himself and his teammates in the right spots well before any problems arose. That savvy could help the All-American carve out a role as an end-of-roster backup and special teams contributor. To be more than that, however, the 6-1, 231-pound linebacker has to show he can measure up to his competition in at least a few facets. Fisher lacks the playmaking range to chase down outside runs as well as the size and strength to regularly shed blockers at the next level. But he also is a potential liability in coverage due to his rigidity. In Indianapolis, showing he’s not outclassed by the other linebacker prospects could help him latch on with a team.

CB Tacario Davis, Washington

After building a buzz at Arizona as one of college football’s uniquely built secondary presences at 6-4 and 200 pounds, Davis followed head coach Jedd Fisch to Arizona via the transfer portal. Things didn’t go his way in the fall, with a rib injury and hamstring pull limiting him to just eight games. Withdrawing from the Senior Bowl only heightens the importance of making a strong impression in Indianapolis. Davis’ rare blend of size, length and make-up speed might have some teams envisioning an ideal Cover 3 cornerback, a role that would accentuate his ability to eliminate downfield routes. But exhibiting a bit more fluidity could help him avoid being pigeonholed.